Comparison of Gins Using Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS), Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA), and Temporal Ranking (TR)

Abstract

Gin is a distilled spirit characterized by juniper flavor, often accompanied by other botanical flavors. The objective of this research was to use gin as a case study to compare temporal dominance of sensations (TDS), temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA), and temporal ranking (TR). Trained panelists used each of these methods to evaluate the temporal profile of six gins (standardized to 30% ABV). Differences in temporality were visualized by difference graphs for pairwise gin comparisons across methods. TDS differentiated gins based on dominant flavor attributes but did not fully describe the complexity of the gins. TCATA was effective in capturing differences in subtle flavor attributes but did not discriminate samples based on juniper flavor. TR differentiated gins based on differences in juniper flavor intensity and documented additional differences in complex gins but did not discriminate subtle flavor attributes. Researchers should consider these tradeoffs when selecting a temporal method.